


Down in Miami

by knightinpinkunderwear



Series: The Falcone Family has a Third Sibling [3]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Angst, Cute, Equestrian, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Football | Soccer, Gen, High School, Kid Fic, Minor Violence, Musical References, Name Changes, School, Siblings, Sports, Theatre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-07-24 21:59:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16184003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightinpinkunderwear/pseuds/knightinpinkunderwear
Summary: Carmine Falcone decides that Gotham is too unsafe. And sends his family away.





	Down in Miami

 

Eddie was twelve when Papa sent them away. He said that Gotham was too dangerous for Mamma, Sofia, him, and Mario. That it was too dangerous for their family to stay.

But Papa wasn't leaving with them.

And no matter how he reasoned with himself, Eduardo Falcone couldn't help but feel that his father was sending him away for some disappointment. Sofia and Mario felt that way too, they were just better at hiding it. Mamma did her best to convince them that none of this was their faults. But it was. If they were bigger, stronger, then Papa wouldn't have to worry about them. Then they wouldn't be a hindrance. Eduardo knew he had to have let Papa down. That he'd been too scared when men with guns came around. When people were beaten and shot in their home. He'd heard it, the crunch of breaking bones and the soft screech of a silenced gun. He'd seen the blood. And each time he was convinced that someday he'd do something that Papa decided was unforgivable. That Papa would hurt him. That he wouldn't family anymore.

Before they left for Miami, Mamma and Papa had a fight. Eddie had never heard Mamma so angry. It scared him a bit. They were shouting like the Nashtons used to. But Mamma wasn't fighting about how much he and Mario and Sofia inconvenienced her, she was fighting about Papa not being a good father. She was mad at him for not prioritizing family over his business (where men would get beaten and killed, he'd seen it a lot, so had his siblings). Mamma was angry that Papa didn't care about having bloody and violent men near his children. Mamma was angry that Papa wouldn't protect his family himself. She was angry that his solution was to send them all away. 

Eduardo loved his Mamma. And hearing her shout so furiously, it erased any doubt that she loved him too. 

Down in Miami Eduardo started in Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. Sofia and Mario were in Gulliver Preparatory. Eddie couldn't wait to be in the same school as his siblings again. He didn't like being the new kid. He hadn't ever had to do it alone before. And he was alone. Papa was far away and probably wouldn't care enough to protect him again. He'd probably be disappointed again, saying that Eddie ought to be a man and take care of himself. 

Actually, Eddie wasn't sure that Papa would say that. He kept thinking that Papa would say things that Enwin Nashton said. And every time he'd feel guilty. He was too scared and kept trying to make people into threats because he had too much trouble believing that they cared. 

It was easier to believe Mamma, Sofia, and Mario. They were so patient with him, and they were always there when he needed them. Well except when he was nervous at school, though then, he supposed wasn't as dire or important a situation. But he made a friend, after a few weeks of being unsure of himself. (If Papa didn't want him around why would anyone else?) Her name was Myrtle Marilyn Jenkins. She usually had her blond hair up in some sort of braided bun. She was clever and kind. And she understands. 

Her parents don't pay much attention to her. Her nanny was more of a mother and a father than either of them were. So she understands his troubles. Why he feels he has to prove himself to be worthy of anything nice. Why he can't believe that people would care about him even if he didn't earn it. 

Mamma likes Myrtle well enough. So do his siblings. And before that confirmation he didn't know how scared he was that they wouldn't want him to.be friends with her. 

Mamma was happier in Miami. She likes the weather. She is less mad at Papa now that she doesn't have to see all of the dangerous things he does, now that those dangerous things are far far away from her children. Now that she doesn't have to worry about his backhanded remarks on how she was coddling them or letting them be too soft and sensitive. She supports them whole-heartedly in all their endeavors. When Mario started varsity soccer they're at very game cheering him on. Sofia joined the equestrian team and does races and obstacles. Eduardo is on the quiz bowl team, and all three of them do competitive chess (he's tried sports and they don't agree with him, he's too gangly and borderline asthmatic). Then Eduardo found something spectacular. 

Musical theatre. 

It had many things he liked, singing, pretty costumes, theatrics. It just sounded so fun. 

So, he tried out for the spring musical. The Little Mermaid. He was one of the smallest kids trying out. They asked him to sing a few bars of several of the songs. There was also a dance try out, not too hard either. He did flub up a line or two in the acting part though. But it was fun. Very nerve wracking, but also exhilarating. And he wasn't even on the stage confront of a real crowd! 

The next day he checked the list. He wasn't on call-backs. He didn't know what that meant. But on Monday he checked again. 

He'd got in! Even more than that he got a character with a name! He was going to be Flounder! 

Eddie was so excited to tell his family. Mamma, Mario, and Sofia were proud, congratulating him and promising to be at at least 3 of the 7 shows. 

"You don't have to!" He tried to counter. 

"Of course I do! My baby is star!" She cooed, pinching his cheeks and making a silly face.

"I'm not a baby!" He laughed, he was smiling too much to keep his eyes open.

"Of course you are, baby brother!" Mario chimed in, ruffling his hair.

"Our little baby of the family!" Sofia finished and Eddie was squashed into the center of a triangular hug.

He couldn't stop smiling. Miami was good. 

The play went well, his family was at every performance and braught him a huge bouquet of roses and pampered him in hugs and kisses. The stage was thrilling. Exhausting and sweaty and so thrilling. It was a rush of excitement. And it definitely made it easy to sleep afterwords. He was both glad and sad when it ended. 

Mario won second in a soccer regional championship. And Sofia was welcomed into an elite equestrian league. Life in Miami was wonderful. Papa sent cards for birthdays and holidays along with generic gifts. 

He cared. Sort of, it just didn't seem like he cared enough. 

But that didn't bring down life too much. Mamma's parents and family came for Christmas and New Year's. Gran and Pa got everyone warm socks with silly patterns, or sweaters. It was strange to be in "winter" when the temperature didn't drop below 39 most of the time. Alligators, snakes, and wild iguanas were also new. But the warm climate also had an atmosphere of secure and loving warmth. So, it wasn't bad. Only took some getting used to. 

Life was good down in Miami. 

**Author's Note:**

> I had "she's in love" stuck in my head and decided little Eduardo Falcone would do a stellar Flounder. 
> 
> Also I had to get that boy on stage somehow. 
> 
> Yes, as per canon, Carmine Falcone does not really know how to parent children and has not been good at understanding their wants and needs.


End file.
